TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT
#71
06-25-2006, 03:44 PM
RE: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT
Very cool, the only reason I was a bit worried is my kids love to ride in it and their safety is priority.
Mike thanks again bro for all the help. I think I'm going to leave it be and move on to the 35's!!
Aloha!
Mike thanks again bro for all the help. I think I'm going to leave it be and move on to the 35's!!
Aloha!
#72
06-25-2006, 09:10 PM
RE: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT
Think back to the 80's when GM first came out with the torsion bar front suspension on four wheel drives. Everyone thought it was so cool because all you had to do was crank on 'em to get the lift you wanted. A few broken springs, and damaged equipment later, the aftermarket caught up and built kits that lower the entire assembly to get the lift. The kits were, and are, still very expensive compared to any other lift on the market. The aftermarket suppliers sell tons of them. If turning the torsion bars is a great way to go, why do people spend a small fortune on these highly engineered expensive kits?
Don't get me wrong. I have mine twisted 2.5 turns as well as most everyone else who has lifted to front, but there has got to be an engineering reason why the front sits where it does, and why the designer went with the springs they did. I know some of the original height is so when the rear is loaded, it will sit level. I would also be willing to bet that the springs chosen may have to do with parts already on the shelf, but I don't know for sure on that.
Springs, reguardless of their design, coil, semi eliptical leaf, torsion, beam, or any other style, have operating limitations, and if those limitations are exceeded enough and or far enough, the spring will loose it's temper and sag and/or break.
Re-indexed keys, although more expensive then twisting the bars, is more economical in the long run, and will be better for the front end. It keeps the factory preload and just changes the ride height. In a perfect scenario the bump stops should be moved with this type of lift as well, but I believe that if the lift is kept mild, the added load on the springs during full compression should be minimal.
Don't get me wrong. I have mine twisted 2.5 turns as well as most everyone else who has lifted to front, but there has got to be an engineering reason why the front sits where it does, and why the designer went with the springs they did. I know some of the original height is so when the rear is loaded, it will sit level. I would also be willing to bet that the springs chosen may have to do with parts already on the shelf, but I don't know for sure on that.
Springs, reguardless of their design, coil, semi eliptical leaf, torsion, beam, or any other style, have operating limitations, and if those limitations are exceeded enough and or far enough, the spring will loose it's temper and sag and/or break.
Re-indexed keys, although more expensive then twisting the bars, is more economical in the long run, and will be better for the front end. It keeps the factory preload and just changes the ride height. In a perfect scenario the bump stops should be moved with this type of lift as well, but I believe that if the lift is kept mild, the added load on the springs during full compression should be minimal.
#73
06-26-2006, 04:03 AM
RE: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT
ok, here is an article taken right out of a manual written by a torsion bar manufacturer. This will explain the whole thing and will also show that adjusting the bars will NOT theoretically cause breakage.
There still is a lot of misconception about the nature of torsion bars. Hopefully this will help clarify the nature and design of the torsion bar independent suspension setup. To begin with, the torsion bar, like the Leif and coil, is simply a spring. A piece of material which when distorted tries to return to its original position. Like the Leif and coil, the torsion bar can loose its memory [sag], or break. The torsion bar, like the conventional Leif or coil spring is at one end fastened to the frame so as not to move during operation. The other end of the torsion bar is fastened to a pivot [the control arm]. Now as force [weight]
is applied to the pivot end [control arm] it tries to move and take the torsion bar with it, the opposite end being fastened to the frame, can not move so the bar twists and then tries to return to its memory position. This being the point at which the pivot end [control arm] originated. With no applied force [weight], the torsion bar will keep its pivot end [control arm] at the position or angle in which it was originally set. As a constant applied force [set weight] acts upon the torsion bar the torsion bar is resisted from returning all the way back to it's memory or set position. The amount by which the torsion bar can not return to its memory [set] position becomes pre load. Pre load is solely controlled by the amount of force [weight] applied to the torsion bar.
To adjust the ride height of the vehicle by winding the adjuster bolt at the fixed [frame] end of the torsion bar does not add any more force [weight] to the pivot [control arm] end of the torsion bar, therefore the pre load is unaffected, hence ride quality and torsion bar life theoretically remain unchanged. Winding the torsion bar adjuster bolt is the same as installing blocks between the axle and Leif springs or a set of coil spacers; it simply moves the spring to a different position.
The reason the truck may ride a little stiffer is because of the new angle of the pivot [control arm]. As this angle [control arm to ground] becomes greater, the pivot [control arm] exerts less force on the torsion bar effectively reducing the pre load.
Other reasons for a harsh ride after winding the adjuster bolts is YOU WENT TOO FAR. This is when there is not enough room or no room between the control arm and upper bump stops, leaving no room for downwards travel of the control arm. When to replace your torsion bars with larger ones is if you have added substantial weight [winch, large bush bar, heavy bumper, heavier engine, etc.] or if you are looking for a firmer ride. The affected longevity of related components such as c.v. joints, ball joints, spindles, etc. will be the same weather the heavier torsion bars are used or the originals are adjusted, since these components are affected by the selected angle of the control arm. After a height adjustment is made either way, it is a good idea to have an alignment, but you will most times find that everything is still in spec.
this should clear up alot of confusion.
There still is a lot of misconception about the nature of torsion bars. Hopefully this will help clarify the nature and design of the torsion bar independent suspension setup. To begin with, the torsion bar, like the Leif and coil, is simply a spring. A piece of material which when distorted tries to return to its original position. Like the Leif and coil, the torsion bar can loose its memory [sag], or break. The torsion bar, like the conventional Leif or coil spring is at one end fastened to the frame so as not to move during operation. The other end of the torsion bar is fastened to a pivot [the control arm]. Now as force [weight]
is applied to the pivot end [control arm] it tries to move and take the torsion bar with it, the opposite end being fastened to the frame, can not move so the bar twists and then tries to return to its memory position. This being the point at which the pivot end [control arm] originated. With no applied force [weight], the torsion bar will keep its pivot end [control arm] at the position or angle in which it was originally set. As a constant applied force [set weight] acts upon the torsion bar the torsion bar is resisted from returning all the way back to it's memory or set position. The amount by which the torsion bar can not return to its memory [set] position becomes pre load. Pre load is solely controlled by the amount of force [weight] applied to the torsion bar.
To adjust the ride height of the vehicle by winding the adjuster bolt at the fixed [frame] end of the torsion bar does not add any more force [weight] to the pivot [control arm] end of the torsion bar, therefore the pre load is unaffected, hence ride quality and torsion bar life theoretically remain unchanged. Winding the torsion bar adjuster bolt is the same as installing blocks between the axle and Leif springs or a set of coil spacers; it simply moves the spring to a different position.
The reason the truck may ride a little stiffer is because of the new angle of the pivot [control arm]. As this angle [control arm to ground] becomes greater, the pivot [control arm] exerts less force on the torsion bar effectively reducing the pre load.
Other reasons for a harsh ride after winding the adjuster bolts is YOU WENT TOO FAR. This is when there is not enough room or no room between the control arm and upper bump stops, leaving no room for downwards travel of the control arm. When to replace your torsion bars with larger ones is if you have added substantial weight [winch, large bush bar, heavy bumper, heavier engine, etc.] or if you are looking for a firmer ride. The affected longevity of related components such as c.v. joints, ball joints, spindles, etc. will be the same weather the heavier torsion bars are used or the originals are adjusted, since these components are affected by the selected angle of the control arm. After a height adjustment is made either way, it is a good idea to have an alignment, but you will most times find that everything is still in spec.
this should clear up alot of confusion.
#75
06-26-2006, 08:44 PM
RE: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT
I just purchased new torsion keys from Sandy River Enterprises on ebay. They told me that the torsion keys for a chevy colorado are the correct ones.
#76
06-26-2006, 08:46 PM
RE: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT
Here is a better link to the torsion keys on ebay.
#77
06-26-2006, 08:49 PM
RE: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT
Trying again to get the link right. Hope that the 3rd time does the trick.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2004-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2004-...QQcmdZViewItem
#79
06-27-2006, 01:26 AM
RE: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT
a lot of people here have adjusted the torsion bars and done some hardcore offroading and I still havent heard of negative results of doing this. I've read on either this forum or the other, and heard the dealer actully turn the torsion for the owner, I think if it really added that much stress we would of heard some negative post by now.
